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Design and kaona by Kāwika Mahelona

The ki‘i is formed by two nibs of a fountain pen, one facing upward and the other facing down. The tines of the nibs form the arms and legs of the ki‘i with the breather holes of both nibs forming the inside bends of the elbows and knees.

The breather holes and the oval in the middle of the torso symbolize the 3 piko of the human body. The upper breather hole represents the fontanel, or piko po‘o, which connects us to our ancestors and our past. The small oval represents the navel, or piko waena, which connects us to living ‘ohana and our present. The lower breather hole represents our genitals, or piko ma‘i, which connects us to our descendants and the future. The incorporation of the piko concept references the role that “story-telling” plays in recording events which occur through the passage of time. Whether enlightening us and giving context to historical events, opening our eyes to things happening all around us, projecting future possibilities or recording historical conflicts which persist into our present and remain unresolved and destined to act our future...story-telling has the power to connect us to that continuum.

There is a subtle liberty taken in crafting the shape of the nib so that it resembles two wa‘a sails. I wanted to honor the definition of Ho‘olana by incorporating a floating, buoyant element as well as a direct translation of righting an overturned canoe. The sails reference open ocean voyaging canoes and the hope, perseverance and links to Pacific heritage that they represent.